'X-Men' director Bryan Singer asks court to toss sex abuse lawsuit

Reuters Staff

2 Min Read

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - “X-Men” director Bryan Singer on Thursday asked a judge in Los Angeles to dismiss a lawsuit brought by an anonymous British man accusing the filmmaker and an entertainment executive of sexually abusing him as a minor.

Director Bryan Singer arrives at the 2014 Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar Party in West Hollywood, California in this file photo taken March 2, 2014. REUTERS/Gus Ruelas/Files

Singer’s attorney, Marty Singer, asked U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson to throw out the suit filed in May, saying that it was improperly filed anonymously by a British citizen, who was identified in court papers as John Doe No. 117.

Singer, 48, also demanded in court that the plaintiff pay $300,000 for Singer’s expected legal fees.

The lawsuit filed by prominent child sex abuse attorney Jeff Herman, accuses Singer and entertainment industry executive Gary Goddard, 60, of coercing the British man into sex acts as a minor with the promise of helping him in an acting career.

Goddard last month asked for the suit to be dismissed.

This is the second sex abuse lawsuit against Singer that was filed ahead of the release of his film “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” The film has so far grossed $715 million at the global box office in its first five weeks and will likely be one of the year’s top-grossing movies.

Singer’s lawyer has called the allegations in both lawsuits false and fabrications, and a bid to win money from the director behind other films in the “X-Men” superhero franchise. A lawyer for Goddard has also denied the allegations, calling them spurious.

Herman also represents Michael Egan, who has sued Singer, accusing him of abusing him sexually as a minor. Egan also sued Goddard, and fellow entertainment executive David Neuman and Garth Ancier, but those suits have been dismissed.